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Yesterday I talked about the first three spheres, the so-called supernal triad. Now let’s continue our journey down the tree. The next triad is composed of the 4th, 5th, and 6th spheres of the tree. The fourth is Chesed (Mercy), the sphere of compassion. It is at the middle right. It is said that this is the highest sphere at which an incarnate human can resonate. This is where the great mystics, saviors, etc. reside. It is associated with the planet Jupiter. Next comes Geburah (Severity), which is opposite Chesed and balances it. This sphere allows us to temper our mercy with judgment. These two spheres are rather interdependent. Too much of one or the other leads to an unbalanced approach to life. Geburah is associated with the planet Mars. The sixth sphere is Tiphareth (Beauty). This is the heart centered sphere which is the balancing point of the tree. It has more paths connected to it than any other sphere. When we are at our most balanced, this is where we are centered. It is associated with the Sun. (Notice its direct communication with God via Kether). In fact, it connects with all of the first three spheres – no other point on the tree does that directly.

The next triad is the 7th, 8th, and 9th spheres. Number seven is Netzach (Victory). It’s the one on the lower right of the tree. It is associated with the desire nature of the human psyche. All that we wish for and covet find homes here. Out of control Netzach energy leads to several of the seven deadly sins, like Lust, Gluttony, Covetousness, and Envy. Hmmm, four out of seven – not bad. (The other three, for the record, are Pride, Anger, and Sloth). Anyway, this is the sphere of Venus – not surprisingly. The eighth is Hod (Splendor), the sphere of the human intellect. In the ideal case, reason balances desire. Interestingly, this is also traditionally seen as the sphere where our ideas of God reside; that is to say, this is where the godforms arise. Everything from the bearded old guy, to Thor with his hammer and Diana with her bow. (Strange story: Once, while meditating on this sphere, I was indeed confronted by Thor. The dude has a temper. — Details maybe at another time). Hod is associated with the planet Mercury. The ninth sphere is Yesod (Foundation). This is our intuitive sphere, the place of the collective unconscious. It is associated with the Moon. This is a good place to go for insight and clarvoyance.

The final, tenth sphere, is Malkuth (the Kingdom). It is physical reality and, while it has no astrological association, it is the sphere of the Earth. It anchors the tree and is the culmination of all that came before, receiving direct input from the realms of desire, intellect, and intuition.

So, there you go. A little bit about the TOL. For meditation, the tree is a strong object. In some ways, it’s not for beginners, since its symbology runs very deep. My favorite book on the symbolism of the tree is A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism by English mystic Gareth Knight. It’s a masterpiece and hits virtually every nail on the head (pardon the poor savior-on-a-tree pun).